Course Syllabus

Spring 2026 | ENG-2310-VO01 - Perspectives on Shakespeare

Online Class

Online courses take place 100% online via Canvas, without required in-person or Zoom meetings.

Faculty

Kate Stauss
View Faculty Credentials
View Faculty Statement
Hiring Coordinator for this course: Jennifer Gundy

General Education Requirements

Arts and Aesthetics

Note

Many degree programs have specific general education recommendations. In order to avoid taking unnecessary classes, please consult with additional resources like your program evaluation, your academic program catalog year page, and your academic advisor.

Courses may only be used to meet one General Education Requirement.

Course Description

In this course, students will read sonnets, comedies, tragedies and historical plays for evaluation and critical insight. Students explore the cultural and historic context of Shakespeare’s work by examining the events and stories that inspired their creation. Students explore the ways these works have been adapted over time and examine their relevance in contemporary culture.

Essential Objectives

1. Describe the elements of Shakespearean drama in the context of Elizabethan England, its culture, history, politics, and language.
2. Identify some of the mythical, cultural, historical, and literary sources of Shakespeare's work.
3. Define the basic literary elements in the plays, such as theme, character, plot, conflict, exposition, foreshadowing, setting, symbolism, denouement, and unity.
4. Identify figurative uses of language in Shakespeare's work, such as irony, metaphor, imagery, and personification, and explain how these elements are used to express ideas, emotions, and values in his work.
5. Compare how Shakespeare's work was received in Elizabethan England versus how work may be viewed through a contemporary lens.
6. Analyze Shakespeare’s plays as texts and as live or recorded performances.

Required Technology

More information on general computer and internet recommendations is available on the CCV computer recommendations Support page.

Please see CCV's Digital Equity Statement (pg. 45) to learn more about CCV's commitment to supporting all students access the technology they need to successfully finish their courses.

Required Textbooks and Resources

*** This is a no cost textbook or resource class. ***

This course only uses free Open Educational Resources (OER) and/or library materials. For details, see the Canvas Site for this class.

Artificial Intelligence(AI) Policy Statement

CCV recognizes that artificial intelligence (AI) and generative AI tools are widely available and becoming embedded in many online writing and creative applications.

Prohibited: The use of generative AI is not allowed in this course, with the exception of spellcheck, grammar check and similar tools. This course rests in the value of students engaging in the learning process without relying on AI-generated content. Students will develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills independently, owning their learning journey from start to finish. If you use these tools, your actions would be considered academically dishonest and a violation of CCV's Academic Integrity Policy.

Part of treating others with respect is giving appropriate credit for ideas and scholarly works. Shakespeare Studies have been conducted for four hundred years - that's four centuries of criticism. You are encouraged to investigate what scholars have written for a broader perspective on our work in this class, but when you use those ideas, you must attribute them, preferably in MLA format. Do not generate new content with prompt-based AI tools like ChatGPT without specific permission from the instructor.

Methods

Each week I will deliver a short, focused videotaped lecture on a particular aspect of the week's topic. Students can expect associated readings, screenings of scenes from plays, and interviews with scholars, directors and actors, as well as opportunities to extend their learning beyond required material.

Though this is a completely asynchronous online course, I believe in a robust classroom community and will be using instructional methods that encourage an engaged cohort including weekly Forums and small team "acting troupes."

I believe reflection is an essential element of learning, so students can expect a weekly "personal response" assignment as well.

Grading Criteria

CCV Letter Grades as outlined in the Evaluation System Policy are assigned according to the following chart:

	High	Low
A+	100	98
A	Less than 98	93
A-	Less than 93	90
B+	Less than 90	88
B	Less than 88	83
B-	Less than 83	80
C+	Less than 80	78
C	Less than 78	73
C-	Less than 73	70
D+	Less than 70	68
D	Less than 68	63
D-	Less than 63	60
F	Less than 60
P	100	60
NP	Less than 60	0

Weekly Schedule

Attendance Policy

Regular attendance and participation in classes are essential for success in and are completion requirements for courses at CCV. A student's failure to meet attendance requirements as specified in course descriptions will normally result in a non-satisfactory grade.

• In general, missing more than 20% of a course due to absences, lateness or early departures may jeopardize a student's ability to earn a satisfactory final grade.
• Attending an on-ground or synchronous course means a student appeared in the live classroom for at least a meaningful portion of a given class meeting. Attending an online course means a student posted a discussion forum response, completed a quiz or attempted some other academically required activity. Simply viewing a course item or module does not count as attendance.
• Meeting the minimum attendance requirement for a course does not mean a student has satisfied the academic requirements for participation, which require students to go above and beyond simply attending a portion of the class. Faculty members will individually determine what constitutes participation in each course they teach and explain in their course descriptions how participation factors into a student's final grade.

Participation Expectations

Though we are online, this is a discussion based class, and Participation is 25% of your grade. Your active engagement is not only central to your own understanding of the material but to the group’s as a whole. Two factors demonstrate your participation grade:regular engagement in the discussion forumsandsubmission of work in a timely fashion.

Missing & Late Work Policy

I assess work based on its own virtues, not by whether it was turned in on time. In other words, your work will not have points taken off for late submission. However, if you are unable to submit work by the deadline, you must communicate to me VIA EMAIL AND PRIOR TO THE DEADLINE both why your submission is delayed and when you plan to submit it.

I reserve the right to grant or deny extensions for late work.

Your habits of work - like timely submissions - does impact your Participation grade.

Accessibility Services for Students with Disabilities:

1. Provide disability documentation to the Accessibility Coordinator at your academic center. https://ccv.edu/discover-resources/students-with-disabilities/
2. Request an appointment to meet with accessibility coordinator to discuss your request and create an accommodation plan.
3. Once created, students will share the accommodation plan with faculty. Please note, faculty cannot make disability accommodations outside of this process.

Academic Integrity

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